City comparison
Beaumont, TX vs Lafayette, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Beaumont, TX are 3.3% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $103,300 in Beaumont, TX to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $898 a month in Beaumont, TX and $898 in Lafayette, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,614 a year higher in Lafayette, LA than in Beaumont, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Beaumont, TX to Lafayette, LA changes real buying power by +3.3%, purely from prices.
- Beaumont, TX: price level 90.0 (much cheaper)
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Beaumont, TX | Lafayette, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.0 | 87.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,849 in Lafayette | $103,253 in Beaumont |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $898/mo | $898/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,630 | $41,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX MSA and Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX and Lafayette, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Beaumont | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.9 | 58.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 83.1 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 90.0 | 87.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Beaumont, TX → Lafayette, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,614/yr.
79 Strong offer
Lafayette, LA → Beaumont, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$2,614/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Beaumont, TX to Lafayette, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Beaumont, TX | Lafayette, LA | Real change, Beaumont → Lafayette |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Beaumont, TX | Lafayette, LA | Lafayette pay in Beaumont dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,260 | $47,770 | $49,324 (−18.1%) |
| Software Developers | $124,470 | $109,010 | $112,556 (−9.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $67,630 | $69,830 (−8.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,180 | $81,960 | $84,626 (+4.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.